Front Wheel Noise While Cornering

[Franchise]

I have a 2004 Cooper S. I am experiencing a grinding/rubbing wheel noise when cornering and low speeds. I'm 3 hours from a MINI dealer. Do I make the road trip or does anyone have any tips?

[emmett]

Use the jack to raise the car up a little at the front corner where you're having the trouble. Raise it up so the wheel comes off the ground and then lower it slightly again so the wheel is back in contact with the ground. Lower it about 10mm further once the tire initially contacts the road surface. When there is some gentle pressure on the suspension (i.e. by having the cars weight pressing slightly on the wheel) that should losen everything up and you will be able to check for lose or rubbing things.

Grab hold of the wheel with both hands and tug and push it hard in all directions to see if you can hear any knocking or any lose feelings in any of the linkages. If there is a ball-joint problem or if anything else is lose then that should show up then.

If you can't feel any loseness or hear any knocking then raise the car back up so the wheel is actually off the ground and try again.

Also could check that the wheel nuts are fully tightened on all wheels. Knocking can be caused by lose wheel nuts. They can come lose if they've not been properly tightened at the previous service, tyre change or if someone was trying to steel your wheels.

Check around the inside of the wheel-arch for rubbing marks so see if you can see if the wheel has contacted the body anywhere inside the wheelarch. This will be easier to do while you have the car raised up on the jack.

[2manyg]

Does you car have LSD (limited Slip Diff) if so it might be that.
There are lots of threads on this forum about the diff making a grinding / groaning noise when corning at low speeds. If the noise goes away when you dip the clutch it is probably this. My 05 Cooper S does it, apparently a gearbox oil change will sort it.

[khooper]

When my car was making the noise during the pinion seal replacement, there was a bulletin from GM suggesting that the rear wheels rubbed, and two brackets were placed in my rear wheel wells pulling the back end of the car away from the tires a bit.

The noise continued, and that is when they realized they needed the additive in the differential fluid. One that was added, the noise went away.

Check out this Mini Cooper Parts